Total pages in book: 153
Estimated words: 148704 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 744(@200wpm)___ 595(@250wpm)___ 496(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 148704 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 744(@200wpm)___ 595(@250wpm)___ 496(@300wpm)
When my frown deepens, she laughs louder, tossing the used rags in a basket and carrying them around the corner.
Sighing, I set the crate of liquor on the countertop and head for my office, shocked as shit when Davis isn’t out cold but leaning against the desk chair, staring at the bookcase against the back wall.
She turns when the door creaks behind me, stumbling over her own feet, but I dart forward, catching her upper arm before she can trip.
Bloodshot and half-closed copper eyes meet mine. Davis giggles, smashing her lips to one side as she stares up at me.
“Crew Taylor,” she whispers. “Who knew you could be so…”
“So what?” I prompt, moving my hands to her hips, steadying her.
“So… unorganized.”
I scoff, shuffling back a few inches to put some space between us.
Davis waves a drunken hand at the files she’s stacked two times too high on the small wooden desk.
“I found coupons”—she points to the garbage can—“that expired in January. It’s May.”
“Surprised your vision’s clear enough to read the dates.”
She grins wider. “That makes two of us.”
I’m tempted to smile at the brat. “Time to go home, Baby Franco.”
“K, but fair warning, if I try to move, I might fall. Or puke. I had seventy-seven percent of a bottle of wine to the dome, and I left nothing from the drink Drew gave me. I even licked the rim.”
“Seventy-seven percent, huh?” I pull the string on the light a couple times to turn the fan on.
“Possibly seventy-nine.”
“Sounds about right.” I guide her through the door, and sure enough, she trips over nothing, causing her to laugh and fall against the wall.
Her head rolls along the wood until her gaze finds mine and she lifts her arms like a child. “Commander Crew to the rescue?”
Shaking my head, I bend, cradling her in my arms, instantly regretting it when the silky pads of her fingertips come up, tapping along the skin just above my collar.
“How come you don’t want to help me?” she begins to slur.
“Your choice of words on this subject is bullshit.”
Davis’s head snaps up, and she tries to glare, but since she’s so trashed, she only manages to look cross-eyed at me. “Oh, come on. Like people haven’t offered you less, and you haven’t accepted with ease. At least you get something out of this.”
“Stop,” I snap, cutting off her bullshit as I round the corner, taking the four short steps down to the main floor with quicker movements than I should with her in my arms.
Accept with ease, she said.
Yeah, fucking right.
“Come on, Crew,” she whines, undeterred. “You don’t even have to like it.”
For fuck’s sake.
“Just slide in and—” She cuts herself off, a loud, popping sound pushing past her lips.
I jerk to a stop, glaring down at her, but she tugs herself up, looking up and over my shoulder when my brother’s loud-ass laughter fills the space.
“Hey, Drew.” She smiles.
“Hey, gorgeous,” he teases, his eyes sliding to mine in question.
“Go away.”
“No, wait!” Davis wiggles, but I don’t let her go, so she tips her head all the way back, looking at him upside down while I keep moving for the door. “What do you think, Drew? Shouldn’t he help me if he’s capable of helping?”
“I say give the girl whatever it is she’s asking for.” He chuckles, and I’m about to slap him upside his head.
He has no idea what she’s asking for.
“Aw,” she practically fucking coos. “See, you’re the sweet one. That’s why I used to pretend you were my boyfriend.”
She did what?
Davis jolts then. “Oh my god! You could totally—”
“Okay.” I shift, tossing her over my shoulder, and get the hell out.
Enough of that shit.
Is she about to throw her crazy my brother’s way? My brother, who would probably jump straight to it, taking what she claims she’s ready to give as if he was worthy of it.
He’s not.
I’m sure as fuck not.
Why’s she doing this?
“Swear to God, if I could whoop your ass, girl,” I mumble as I buckle her into my front seat.
“Hmm?” she hums, attempting to get her lids to open.
“Nothing. Go to sleep.” I slam the door, taking a few deep breaths before climbing in on the driver’s side.
If I didn’t help her dad move her into her apartment three summers ago, I’d have no idea where I was going. I haven’t been back inside since that day, the bullshit her brother dragged me into forcing my fucking hand in ways she couldn’t imagine, but I remember well which one it is.
Might have passed by a couple times on my way wherever.
She doesn’t stir once on the drive, so I figure she’s sleeping, but as I turn off the engine at the curb of her place, she sits up, smearing black shit all over her face as she rubs at her sleepy eyes. I help her to the door, trying to keep quiet once inside so we don’t wake her roommate if she’s home.